On April 16, Ekho Moskvy said the FSB had requested a transcript of an April 8 broadcast featuring Kasparov. According to Ekho Moskvy, the FSB said it wanted to check Kasparov's comments for "possible signs of criminal activity."

Marina Litvinovich, a Kasparov aide, told AP that the FSB was "equating dissatisfaction with the current leadership with extremism."

Kasparov's lawyer Karina Moskalenko said the former world chess champion "is not accused of anything at present." Moskalenko added that Kasparov's legal team sees "no grounds for criminal or administrative prosecution."

Former Prime Minister and presidential hopeful Kasyanov tells RFE/RL that Russian civil society must not be silent now. more

Russia's NGO Law

Russian environmental activists demonstrate in February 2006 against a proposed oil pipeline that they believe would have harmed Lake Baikal (TASS)

CLAMPING DOWN ON ACTIVISM. The authors of a report on Russia's controversial law on nongovernmental organizations issued by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom told an RFE/RL briefing in Washington that the law places "disturbing" restrictions on NGOs.